Film and TV
The new silent era: how films turned the volume down (The Guardian)
Amid the thunderous noise of much modern cinema, films such as A Quiet Place and Wonderstruck show that the power of keeping quiet is seriously underrated. Time to enjoy the silence.
Why Hip-Hop Is Taking Center Stage On Netflix’s Original Music Programming (Forbes)
As Netflix plans to spend $8 billion on a whopping 700 original movies and TV series this year, hip-hop culture has taken center stage in the platform’s original music programming.
Learning to Listen to Movies — Really Listen — with David W. Collins (Forbes)
Recently, Collins has expanded his scope beyond the Star Wars films and launched a new podcast, The Soundtrack Show, as part of the How Stuff Works network.
All of the Music Played During Atlanta Season 2 (Complex)
Based on how season one progressed, it looks like the music team on Atlanta has been working hard to keep the quality and authenticity of the sounds of the city intact. Make sure keep coming back to this post, as we’ll be updating it every week.
How Steven Spielberg Picked Ready Player One‘s Classic ’70s and ’80s Tunes (Billboard)
Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg’s new movie that opens Thursday, may take place in 2045, but its soundtrack is straight from the last century. See also: How Ready Player One became the rare Steven Spielberg movie not scored by John Williams.
Daft Punk to soundtrack Toy Story 4 (DJ Mag)
It’s been revealed that Daft Punk will create the soundtrack for Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 4. Working on the music for the return of Woody and Buzz Lightyear will be the second time Daft Punk have created a soundtrack for Disney, following Tron: Legacy in 2010.
Sync Story: Inside Power/Tokio Myers’ new collaboration (Music Week)
Inspiration has long been a buzzword for Tokio Myers, the jobbing muso-turned-solo star who won Britain’s Got Talent in 2017. Now, Myers has turned his neo-classical stylings to classic hymn Jerusalem, and has recorded a version to serve as Team England’s anthem for next month’s Commonwealth Games.
Disney plots High Fidelity TV series with female lead (Guardian)
A new version of Nick Hornby’s romcom will focus on a female record-store owner chronicling her past relationships and will be shown on the studio’s streaming service.
How The Soundtrack Of Love, Simon Gets Teen Movie Music Romantically Right (Refinery29)
Sweeping synths, bouncing drum kits, and tight, ornamental guitar riffs – moments into watching Love, Simon, I was immediately swept up in nostalgic memories from my teen years.
Q&A with music supervisor Amanda Krieg Thomas (Goldo Sync Report)
Amanda Krieg Thomas is the whip-smart wonder woman behind a broad diversity of television favorites, such as American Crime Story, Claws, American Horror Story, Feud: Bette and Joan, 9-1-1, and many more. In our far-ranging discussion, Amanda prepares for the grand reveal of The Americans bittersweet final season and the completion of her long-anticipated book.
Westworld Composer Talks ‘Epic’ Take on Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ (Rolling Stone)
In the latest trailer for the series’ second season, Djawadi similarly transforms Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box” as a lilting piano ballad before swelling it with waves of orchestration as the Season 2 action crescendos.
‘Score: The Podcast’ Set to Launch April 3 With Composer John Debney (Variety)
Score: The Podcast, a podcast devoted to film, TV and video game composers, will launch April 3. The team behind 2017’s Score: A Film Music Documentary created the podcast, which will be hosted by Robert Kraft, former president of Fox Music, and journalist Kenny Holmes.
Krypton composer Pinar Toprak and her journey to writing music for TV and film (The Frame)
A new TV series on the SyFy channel takes place on Superman’s famous home planet. Krypton wants to show us a world we rarely get to see. And when you listen to the music, it will be something you rarely get to hear in film or television, much less in the superhero genre: a score composed by a woman.
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Detail Soundtrack for New Halle Berry Film Kings (Pitchfork)
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis have detailed their soundtrack for the new film Kings, starring Halle Berry and Daniel Craig. It’s out April 27 via Milan Records.
How a Calypso Anthem Became the Surreal Centerpiece of Beetlejuice (Pitchfork)
Harry Belafonte received a telephone call. It was 1986 or early 1987, and David Geffen was on the other line. He was calling the Jamaican-American singer and activist with a rather unusual request. Could he use Belafonte’s music in a dark comedy about two ghosts who hire a crass “freelance bio-exorcist” to rid their home of insufferable art snobs?
We Chat With The New Team Composing Music For The Simpsons (the music)
“We’ve got no power in our studio, so I’m calling from home,” begins an affable Russell Emanuel down the line from California. As the co-founder and chief creative of acclaimed composer collective Bleeding Fingers Music, he’s remarkably calm after a day of “freaking out”.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: New Sounds for Season 2 (Den of Geek)
Tortoise-shell ‘amphibiophones’ and stone marimbas give composer Jim Dooley’s score for A Series of Unfortunate Events a primal sound.
Top TV Song Last Week: Just a Little by Bantu feat. Shungudzo (Tunefind)
After being featured in new Netflix series On My Block, fan demand was so high that Bantu released this infectious Afrobeat club bop “Just A Little” feat. Shungudzo. The song immediately jumped to the #1 spot on our weekly top TV music chart.
Film & TV Show Composer Profile: ESKMO (Goldo Sync Report)
ESKMO serves as the lead composer for Showtime’s psychological war of wealth and power, Billions and Netflix’s controversial teen drama, 13 Reasons Why. He is a founding member of The Echo Society, a Los Angeles based collective of composers, visual artists, and engineers, and launched FeelHarmonic, a non-profit initiative to introduce and explore both sound and music with the deaf.
Sound Tracks: Call Me By Your Name – When Music Becomes the Narrator (Atwood Magazine)
Atwood Magazine’s Sound Tracks column explores how moments from current television and film are heavily impacted and elevated by music.
Call the Midwife Composer Takes Us Inside the Making of Series Soundtrack (Billboard)
Maurizio Malagnini, who received a 2015 Emmy nomination for his work on The Paradise, has also composed for the BAFTA-nominated film The C Word and for ITV’s Peter and Wendy, a two-hour drama based on J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan novel.
How to Make Your Own Wes Anderson Soundtrack (Vulture)
Like the other aspects of his films, Wes Anderson’s soundtracks are always quirky, eclectic, and lots of fun. In honor of his new film, Isle of Dogs, we aim to teach you how to make your own Wes Anderson movie soundtrack while using only songs from a stock-music library.
I Need Something Just Like This: How March Madness Theme Songs are Chosen (Billboard)
Craig Barry, the Chief Content Officer and EVP at Turner Sports, helped pioneer what he calls “full integration of music,” the idea that music and sports can be combined not only for the broadcast itself, but for the full commercial campaign as well.
Retro World Cup: anthems, the soundtrack to the glory (Chicago Tribune)
Since 1962, official and unofficial anthems and songs have inspired feelings of joy and glory around the tournament, from their humble versions interpreted by local artists, to the globalized mainstream hits of recent times.
Jeff Rosenstock Is On TV With the Soundtrack for Craig of the Creek (Baeble Music)
Jeff Rosenstock, maker of the musingly political power ballads and indomitable hooks with the anxiety-inducing voice, has written the soundtrack to the Cartoon Network show, Craig of the Creek.
International films are increasingly using Bollywood songs. But do they get it right? (The Hindu)
Indian songs in international films are perhaps much more common now than they once were. You can put that down to the Bollywood boom of the noughties, or the bugbear of multiculturalism that spawned a profusion of ‘brown faces’ to fill out casting rosters that were once almost exclusively white.
How Rodgers & Hammerstein Shaped the Hollywood Musical (& Almost Killed It) (/FILM)
Over the course of their careers, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote hundreds of songs. They created Oklahoma!, Carousel, The King and I, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music — and in the process, they revolutionized musicals as we knew them.
From Tamar-kali to Ronit Kirchman: 5 Female Composers You Should Know (awards watch)
More and more, female composers are giving some of film, television and multi-media’s most memorable and impactful scores. Here are five that we think you should know about.
Composer John Powell to Receive ASCAP’s 2018 Henry Mancini Award (Fantha Tracks)
John Powell, the man behind the score of May 25th’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, is to receive the Henry Mancini Award on 23rd May, which looks set to be a very good week for the British composer.
Gaming
Games Spotlight: Gareth Coker on composing for an evolving medium (The UK & European Guild of Music Supervisors)
Gareth Coker is an acclaimed composer, working in film, advertising and predominantly games. His collaborative work on the soundtrack for Ori and the Blind Forest garnered multiple awards and received global recognition and success. Our resident games expert Duncan spoke to Gareth about his career, his composition methods and more.
An Americana Hymnal For The Doomsday Cult Of Far Cry 5 (NPR)
Award-winning composer Dan Romer is best known for scoring TV shows and films like Beasts Of The Southern Wild and Beasts Of No Nation. Recently, his career took a turn from movies to video games. He’s written the music for the latest installment in the popular series Far Cry.
Composing for Video Games in the 21st Century: Q&A With Vinicius Barbosa (Vents Magazine)
From his beginnings composing music for film, Barbosa has combined a technical knowledge of music with a passion for gaming and creating the most encompassing experience possible. We had the chance to ask Barbosa about his past achievements as well as gain some insight into the life of a multi-faceted composer.
Interview with Music Supervisor/Lead Composer Jared Emerson-Johnson (The Sound Architect)
Sam Hughes speaks with the Music Supervisor/Lead Composer of nearly all the Telltale Games franchises, Jared Emerson-Johnson. They discuss his career so far, favourite tracks from the Telltale Games, his process and more!
Collaboration With Polyarc and Emotional Bonding With a Mouse: Interview With Moss Composer Jason Graves (PlayStationLifeStyle)
Moss beckons to a part of the soul that video games traditionally don’t, and it does so through powerful and dynamic music. That’s not to say they aren’t incredibly emotional games out there, but through the magic of VR, Polyarc managed to capture a sense of immersion and a kinesthetic bond with a tiny mouse hero.
Advertising
Songs for Screens: How Vulfpeck Scored a Lucrative Apple Synch With ‘Back Pocket’ (Variety)
Like most artists who’ve been synched by Apple, Jack Stratton found out his band Vulfpeck’s song “Back Pocket” had been used in a cinematic new spot for Apple at the same time as the rest of the world, upon its debut on March 22. But the song wasn’t just featured: his band had struck the holy grail of synchs…
“Playing it safe never changed anything in life” – interview with music supervisor Jesper Gadeberg (midem)
What’s special about music for advertising, as opposed to feature films or television? A world-leading advertising music supervisor tells SynchAudio.
UK Top Shazamed Ads: March 28 | April 04 (The Drum)
The Drum’s Shazam chart is based on the number of times each ad has been Shazamed over the past week using the music identification app. Here are the charts from the last couple of weeks.
The most Shazamed ads of the week (US): March 19 – March 25 | March 26 – April 01 (Clio)
Every week, Clios.com, in partnership with Shazam, rounds up the most Shazamed ads of the previous week. These are the top spots from March 19th to April 1st.
Songs for Screens: What Does the ‘Blurred Lines’ Decision Mean for Synchs? (Variety)
The recent verdict has helped to quell a far more pernicious behavior that has been taking place in the advertising community for years: The intentional use of “soundalike” songs in commercials when the source material isn’t available or within budget.
Business
Spotlight: How Singer-Songwriter Kari Kimmel Landed Hundreds of TV & Film Syncs on Her Own Terms (Billboard)
In music, one sync can help make a career, so how about more than 650 of them? Over nearly a decade, singer-songwriter Kari Kimmel has had uncanny success as an independent artist pitching her own material for television, film, trailers and commercials, all while keeping a relatively low public profile.
Universal Music Enterprises Names Stephen Bolles VP of Film & TV Music (Variety)
Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), the global catalog division of Universal Music Group, today announced that Stephen Bolles has been appointed Vice President, Film & TV Music. Bolles will be based in New York and will report to Tom Rowland, EVP Film & TV Music.
‘It forces you to learn new ways of writing’: Decca composer Clark talks sync (Music Week)
The sync world is growing bigger and bigger with each passing year, and few in the industry know that better than composer Chris Clark. Earlier this year, Clark (his musical alias forgoes his first name) signed a new deal with Decca Publishing, and scored Channel 4’s four-part drama Kiri.
BMG signs new deal with Ninja Tune Production Music (CMU)
BMG has signed a deal to represent Ninja Tune’s production music library outside the UK. Launched last October, Ninja Tune Production Music make tracks by artists including Coldcut, Mr Scruff, Amon Tobin and Kid Koala available to brands and producers of film, TV and videogames.
Female Collective Les Filles Wants to Be the Fashion Industry’s Go-To Music Source (Fashionista)
The relationship between fashion and music can run the gamut from designer inspiration and runway show soundtracks to co-branded partnerships. Adding to the mix, newly-formed, all-female creative collective Les Filles wants to be the fashion industry’s go-to music source.
Advice
Artist Advice Column: Music Licensing 101 Pt. 2 (Magnetic Magazine)
We asked this the last time and started on it, but now let’s really drill down – how do you get your music licensed? How do I as an artist get syncs? There are three main avenues.
Events
The UK & European Guild of Music Supervisors Masterclasses – Score Record – 18th April 2018 | How to Contract a Composer – 25th April 2018
The third session will be focused on score record, led by Maggie Rodford and Hilary Skewes, and the final masterclass will be on the topic of contracting a composer and will feature Maggie Rodford and Alexander Ross of Wiggin.
BASCA presents: Media Composer Conference (London, April 20th)
The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) has curated a dedicated and focused day for media composers, bringing together industry experts and high profile composers from the worlds of film, TV, adverts and gaming. Get discounted tickets here.
Music Professionals in Entertainment Panel (Los Angeles, April 26th)
Want to learn more about having a career in Film & TV music? Join this free music in media panel discussion to learn the essentials of having a career in the Film & TV Music world with some of the top people in the industry. To RSVP, please email adrianna@whitebearpr.com.
1st Annual Canadian Sync Awards (Toronto, May 12th)
Canadian Music Week (CMW) and The Guild of Music Supervisors, Canada (GMSC) are excited to present the 1st Annual Canadian Sync Awards sponsored by songtradr. The Canadian Sync Awards are the only awards in Canada to recognize the contribution synch makes to the creative industries. Purchase tickets here.
Music Biz 2018 (Nashville, May 14th-17th)
Music Biz 2018 will bring together global power players and industry enthusiasts committed to the future of music monetization for 100+ panels, presentations, workshops, private meetings, cocktail parties, live music, and more. Synchtank founder Joel T. Jordan will be speaking on the Beyond the Sync: A New Era of Music Licensing for Film, TV and Podcasts panel.
Sync Summit Nashville (Nashville, May 18th-19th)
SyncSummit Nashville will again bring together the world’s top music supervisors, ad agencies, brands managers, composers, labels, publishers, management companies, artists, producers and technologists in America’s musical heartland for two days of networking, discussion and dealmaking.
For more events worldwide check out our ultimate list of music industry and sync conferences in 2018.
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